Top Ten Famous People Who Were Homeless Once

According to William James, "Need and struggle are what excite and inspire us". One of the worst combinations of struggle and need is homelessness. Few, have nerves to go through such crisis, and yet come out as successful individuals. Here is a list of ten famous people who successfully faced homelessness at some point during their lives.

1) Halle Berry

Halle Berry might be one of the most highly paid actresses in Hollywood, but she wasn't always like this. At the age of 21, her mom refused to support her, forcing her to take refuge in a homeless shelter. In an interview she said, "When I moved to Chicago, she (mom) drove me there, but I don't think she ever thought it would pan out. After a month or two, I ran out of money and called her. I said, "Mom, I hate to ask you this, but could you send me some money? I just have rent money; I can't eat this week." And she said, "No, I'm not going to start this calling home, asking mom for money thing. No, figure it out or come home." I was so mad; I didn't speak to her for a year and a half."

Halle did not remain homeless for long. Soon, she started getting roles in movies and rented an apartment. Halle has now made peace with her mom, she thinks that her mom's refusal to support her made her tough and gave her the ability to deal with harsh circumstances.

2) Chris Gardener

Chris Gardener, a millionaire entrepreneur, became famous when his book of memoirs was made into a super-hit movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness". Although, Gardener currently owns a successful stock brokerage firm, but in early 1980's, he had to face homelessness with his son. He came to this stage of poverty, because he invested all his life savings to buy portable X-ray machines which he thought he would be able to sell on high profits but he failed, even to reach breakeven. Consequently, he was unable to pay his rent and was kicked out by the owner. Before they could move into a homeless shelter Chris and his son had to sleep in a public toilet for few days. Chris, later on found a Job in a stock brokerage firm, and moved to an apartment with his son.

3) Hilary Swank

There are only 38 people, in the history of Hollywood, who have won Academy award for Best Acting, more than once. One of them is Hilary Swank. With her sizzling performances in "Boys Don't Cry" and "Million Dollar Baby", she proved her mettle. And yes, she was homeless once. Reader's digest quoted her story saying, "In 1989, when she was 15, Swank and her mom packed up their Oldsmobile Delta 88 and, with just $75, headed to Los Angeles. They lived in the car, until a friend gave them a place to stay". In an interview with CBS news she said, "We had a friend, who was selling their house. And so they said, "You know, there's no furniture, but you can stay there at night. And then, during the day, you have to leave so we can try and sell it out. So we got air mattresses, blew them up, slept at night and left in the morning." Hilary and her mother remained homeless for couple of months, after that she started landing roles. However, her hard time was not over until she got the leading role in "Boys don't cry".

4) Shania Twain

Five times Grammy awards winner, Shania twain was also homeless at one point in time. She spent her childhood in extremely miserable conditions and often starved for days. At the age of thirteen she convinced her mother to move to Toronto where there were many homeless shelters. In an interview with Reader's digest she said, "My mother was very depressed at the time -- she wasn't getting out of bed. I decided that I had to convince her to take us to Toronto, where they have a lot of good programs for desperate families. We were living in this small town which didn't have anything. I was 13 then and told my mother to get in the car, the next day, when my dad was gone. I said, "All you've got to do is, drive." I don't know why she listened to me. I think she was numb. We drove to Toronto and went to a shelter. We finally got fed every day."

She started her professional singing career in Toronto and later on she became one of the most popular female singers of her time. Her album Come On Over sold 39 million copies worldwide.

5) Colonel Sanders

Seeing, Colonel Sander's pictures and statues on every KFC outlet, one assumes that he must've had invested millions of dollars to make such a large network of fast food restaurants. However, it's not true. Colonel Sanders, who started Kentucky fried chicken (KFC) in 1952, had to experience homelessness for a long period during his childhood. His father died, when he was five and his mother quickly remarried. At the age of ten, he decided to leave his home because his step-father used to beat him. After that, he remained homeless for a long period of time and did many jobs, during that time. It was not until the age of forty, that Colonel found a proper home and a Job as a cook in a restaurant and started working on his own Secret recipe, which would later on become the main item on KFC menu.

6) Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was not just an Oscar-winning actor, director and author. He was also one of those famous people who faced homelessness. According to his autobiography Charlie's parents separated before he was three. Throughout his childhood he lived with his mother, except for a small period of time when he and his brother moved with their father and his mistress. At the age of 12, Charlie's father died of Cirrhosis and soon after that his mother became mentally ill and had to be admitted to a hospital. This left Charlie homeless and he had to go to a workhouse in London. He spent the rest of his childhood moving from one charity home to another. Charlie continued his struggle until he reached United States in 1912, where he started getting roles and acted in major silent films.

7) Adolf Hitler

In his book Mien Kampf Hitler said, "I owe it to that period, that I grew hard and am still capable of being hard." Here Hitler is referring to his period in Vienna where he had to face four years of homelessness from 1909 to 1914. After the death of his parents, he came to Vienna to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. However, he failed in the entrance exam of Vienna school of Fine arts. Eventually, he ran out of money and was forced to live on streets. Afterwards, he found a homeless shelter and spent his nights there until the beginning of World War 1 in 1914.

During his homelessness period Hitler used to sell his own paintings to get enough money to eat. It was during this time that he developed anti-semantic sentiments, which would later on become the fundamental principles of Nationalist socialist movement.

8) Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the most powerful nation in the world (USA) and one of author of American declaration of Independence, also went through a rough patch when he had no home to live in. In his birthplace Boston, Benjamin worked as an apprentice to his brother who published a Newspaper named "New England Courant". Benjamin wrote certain materials in that paper which were not liked by the authorities of his time so they banned the "New England Courant". However, Benjamin continued to publish against the government without the consent of his brother. This raised a quarrel between the brothers and Benjamin ran away to New York. It was in New York that he had to face homelessness because he had very little money and he knew nobody in the city. However, Benjamin remained homeless for a short period of time and found a Job after moving to Philadelphia.

9) Buddha

Buddha was among those who voluntarily adopted homelessness for a purpose. He was the heir to the throne of his father. After seeing the suffering of ordinary people he decided to give away the luxurious life and adopted ascetic way of living. During his ascetic time he lived in streets and begged for food. His purpose was to achieve enlightenment, and he achieved it in form of the 'four truths'. During his struggle for enlightenment and even after that, Buddha never had a shelter to live under.

10) Jesus Christ

Although Jesus spent most of his childhood in Nazareth and he had a home there, but after being baptized at the age of 30, Jesus started a campaign to spread his teachings. For that purpose he had to move from one place to another and during that period he did not have any proper home. In New Testament, Matthew and Luke narrated incidences which prove Jesus' homelessness. Following, is one such incidence;
"Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:19-20)

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The Spirit of True Doll Making, "Little People of the Secret Power"

Creating a Menehune doll transfers me into a miniature life of my own. I start with a clear image of the doll I want to create: its gender, the clothes, accessories, and sometimes even its name and part of its story. The flow of possibilities and creative ideas is endless. Sewing the body, stuffing it, embroidering the face, every step of the way, the Menehune grows and takes on a life of its own. It is almost as if the doll is dictating who he or she wants to become. My previous plans of the design don't seem to apply at all anymore. But I follow these inspirations because now I have entered the place of true doll making, where a deeper part of me takes over communicating with the developing spirit of the doll. I have reached my inner place of stillness, inspiration, and guidance where I find and lose myself at the same time. It enhances my ability to communicate ideas and feelings in ways where words fail. At this point I know that my new Menehune has a soul and a personality. The spirit of true doll making is enlightening.

The intricate art of crafting 3.5" miniature cloth dolls is something I would have never thought I had the patience to do. But it has become my most cherished and gratifying creation. It is a thrilling experience to look at a finished doll and see that it has come alive.

Through my Menehunes I always try to capture the ancient, magical spirit of Hawaii where I have lived for the past 30 years. Hawaiians are deeply in touch with their creative and intuitive nature. They live in harmony with creation. Hawaiian tradition emphasizes mana or spiritual energy which is expressed in philosophies, symbolism, and culture. In Hawaiian mythology Menehunes often are referred to as "the little people of the secret power". The Menehune dolls' mana connects to Hawaii's spiritual wisdom which is conveyed through their personalities and inspirational messages. I commit a lot of creativity, detailing, inspiration, and love to each individual doll. Every tiny configuration is treated with extreme care. Each stitch has to be in exactly the right position. The pattern and design of the clothing and accessories must be in harmony with the doll, enhance its personality and connect it with the wisdom found in Hawaiian symbols and stories. The work is never finished until the Menehune shows its spirit. Only then will I name it and write a story to reflect its personality which conveys messages of guidance, protection, and inspiration following concepts of Hawaiian spirituality and culture.

The creation of Nai'a, the little Menehune sailor boy, became an expression of love. Looking at him humbly offering his gift of precious seashells, I feel like he is nurturing my spirit and taking care of me which in turn makes me want to take care of him. Nai'a radiates the Hawaiian Aloha (love) spirit. Here is part of Nai'a's story:

Nai'a is named after his Aumakua (ancestral spirit) the Hawaiian Dolphin. Dolphins are often called the "Angels of the Sea". Nai'a also is an angelic little Menehune Keiki Kane (boy). His Mana (spiritual energy) is Aloha (love) and compassion. Nai'a is the most generous little Menehune. Sharing his treasures with his Menehune Ohana (family) brings him the greatest joy. Nai'a's treasures are the precious sea shells he scoops up with his fishing net when he sails his canoe through the beautiful bays of Punaluu Black Sands Beach.

Nothing makes Nai'a happier than passing out the most treasurable shell gifts to his Menehune Ohana and seeing their joy and appreciation which in turn is the greatest gift to him.

Nai's knows that the more he gives, the more he will receive. Nai's teaches us to see with the heart and act with compassion.

Nai'a's Tutu (grandmother) made the Ti Leaf Lei he wears around his neck and tied 4 more Ti leaves to the sail of his canoe. It was Tutu's sacred gift of Aloha (Love) to her grandson. According to ancient Hawaiian beliefs, Ti Leaves provide protection from all harm. Surrounded by Ti leaves, Nai'a feels save and secure.

Nai'a and his Kuku (grandfather) made his canoe together. Walking through the forest they started following the native forest bird who selected the tree they would use to build the canoe. After Nai'a and his Kuku finished carving the Wa'akaukahi, they built the sail which has a design of 2 dolphins holding "fins". The dolphins on his sail give Nai'a the greatest comfort. They remind him that, if he should ever get lost at sea, he can call on his Aumakua, the dolphin, who always, without fail, comes to guide Nai'a safely back to shore.

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Understanding Perspective When Drawing People and Animals

You might not think perspective matters much in drawing people or wildlife but it does.

Perspective is unavoidable, it is always there. For instance if you are drawing a crowed, people will be in the foreground and from there stretching back into the background. Most people will be of average height so your eye level will be in common with those in the crowed. As the people recede from you there heads will remain more or less at the same level but there feet will gradually move up towards the horizon. if you are drawing a small flock of birds the ones in the foreground will be bigger than those in the background, a deer in the foreground will be bigger than the trees in the far background.

There are rules in perspective which once learned will greatly help in your efforts. Basically you have a horizon line which is where your eye level is, whether you are standing up, sitting down or lying down. In the instance of the crowed, if you were sitting down the feet of the crowed would still move up towards the horizon but the heads would also move down to the horizon, your eye level. Horizontal lines on any subject below this line will run up to it and horizontal lines above will run down to it. You either look down at things or up at things unless they are at your eye level.

There are also vanishing points above and below you. These need not be considered unless you are drawing a very tall building or looking down from a height. You probably won't need them for normal subject matter.

Perspective can be complex and as I am only dealing with drawing people or wildlife I will not go into great detail here. I will go further into the subject in a later article.

As for drawing people or animals perspective comes into it when dealing with foreshortening [objects get bigger the closer they are to you, this might seem obvious but read on]. If you are drawing some one who has their feet towards you, you will notice how big they are in comparison with their head. Feet are normally slightly longer than the head is high so when you see the feet like this and start drawing them you will probably be fighting your brain who is telling you that the feet can't be that big! You just need to keep measuring them against the head or some other part.

I would like to mention a tool that will greatly help you with this and that is the 'Proportion Measure' which is available on my sight 'Performing Pencil' see below.

To help you to understand perspective, get hold of a box [not too big] and place it in front of you. Draw it from there and then draw it at different angles this will help you grasp the principles of perspective.

Ellipses are another aspect of perspective. An ellipse or an oval is a circle seen from the side. I shall try and explain what happens with ellipses as they drop away or rise up from your eye level. Imagine a transparent cylinder with lines drawn around its circumference, see how the line moves from a straight line at eye level to an open ellipse at the bottom or top. As you can see the ellipse gradually opens up as it drops away or moves up above your eye level.

Another common mistake made by beginners is putting points on each side of an ellipse at the point where they move around to the back. Remember the line follows a curve and not a triangular shape.

I hope this explanation of perspective has been of benefit.

This article is written by Michael Terry illustrator and lover of natural history. My wildlife website has complementary wildlife drawing lessons to help you further in your drawing. So to develop your drawing skills further go to: http://www.wildmonths.com/ and ebooks on drawing and the 'Proportion Measure' can be found on my site http://www.performingpencil.com/

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Killing People for a Living

That's what I do, and when I make that statement I tend to get noticed. But it's not as bad as it sounds, really. All we do is to perform murder mysteries in hotels in the UK.

It is a live, interactive performance and we mingle with the guests through out the evening or even for a whole weekend! Naturally, this type of intimate one-on-one performance is not without it's risks as the audience can react in a totally unexpected way, but not many performers can honestly say they get to know their audience in the way that Murder Mystery actors do.

The trouble is of course, that the guests can be loose cannons. Most times though it can result in an immensely humorous incident that we talk about again and again.

There was a famous incident at the Plough and Harrow in Birmingham. A middle age lady came up to me and she clearly had no idea what was going on. The amount of alcohol she had consumed had done little to assist her either. She asked me who the characters were and I explained. SHe asked me what had happened and I explained. I told her that one of the characters, Trinny, had returned from a trip in Europe, expecting to marry Paul. Only Paul had married Eve. My character had returned from the European trip with Trinny and as I explained to my inebriated guest that Trinny was expecting to marry Paul and all the way back form Italy she had talked about little else.

The woman took on a very puzzled expression and looked at me straight in the face and asked "So, who's Little Else?"

Murder mysteries are a lot of fun but for an actor, it is a completely different discipline to stage, television or film work. The most important thing is that an actor must - at all times - stay in character. It is our golden rule, our prime directive, our mantra. Apart from that the acting must be done in a different way too. For instance - let's suppose there is a big scene to be performed.

Let's set the scene. You are playing a character called Mary (if you are a bloke, just pick up on the major points - you'll get the gist.). You have just discovered a love letter from another woman to your husband. You are outraged. You confront your husband with this information. You rush over to him waving the love letter under his nose and shout, "Is this true?" "Who is she, how long has it been going on?" You break down in tears; you plead, you cry, you wail and you turn out a magnificent performance that should have the whole audience reaching for their tissues.

Except you've done it all wrong.

Oh there was nothing wrong with your acting: - in fact it was excellent but the problem is that with murder mysteries the audience isn't still, it isn't quiet and it isn't always facing you. We have to perform our major scenes another way.

Right - Take 2

You have seen a love letter from another woman to your husband. You are outraged. You want to confront your husband with this information. You ensure that your husband is the other side of the room before shouting "John, John is this true?" You DO NOT rush over to him but your argument should be conducted right across the room. He will shout back at you and you can continue "Who is she, how long has it been going on?" You break down in tears; you plead, you cry, you wail and you turn out a magnificent performance that will have the whole audience reaching for their tissues.

The act of projecting the arguments and interactions across the room has several effects. It forces the actor to be louder. It attracts the attention of the audience throughout the room. It means you do not have your back to the vast majority of the guests. It makes it easier for the other actors to realise what is happening so they can try to get the guests on their table to listen.

The majority of guests at a murder mystery do not realise the planning and work that goes into their entertainment, but the basics of acting and performing in a room full of people are simple. Be loud - Do it across the room and make sure you have everyone's attention.

Pete Giles
Director
Murder Incorporated Limited

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